We spent the last two days at Parker's Crossroads, at Parker's Crossroads RV Park. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I can't say enough good things about the place. It's small, but well kept, with dead level concrete pads as well as gravel pads with really nice wood decks centered out your RV door. Nice pool, and free fishing in their large pond.
Parker's Crossroads was the site of a Civil War encounter between Union Colonels Dunham and Fuller, and Confederate Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest. Despite having numbers and surprise, the Union failed to capture Forrest, who is credited with being one of the most brilliant tacticians of the war.
About 45 miles south of Parker's Crossroads is Shiloh National Military Park. This parks commemorates and preserves the site of one of the war's bloodiest encounters. The casualties at Shiloh numbered more then 23,000. This was more than the dead and wounded of all the prior American wars
combined.
We spent a day learning about the battle, and seeing the battlefield. The park has an amazing auto audio tour that brings the battle locations to life. There are markers for the unit locations, their HQ locations, as well as the locations of the deaths of the major commanders. Shiloh also has the distinction of being the place where the highest ranking American ever was killed in action, Confederate General Albert Sydney Johnston.
We visited the Union cemetery, which is small, but echoes Arlington for its solemnity. Unfortunately, most of the Confederate dead were buried in one of several mass graves scattered around the park.
As it happens, we hit the park at a really great time. On July 2 and 3rd each year, the park holds a cannon firing demonstration. A complete Union gun crew fires one of the 6 pounder cannons at several points in the day. We arrived just in time for the first demonstration of the day.
After a day at Shiloh, the boss and I were both starving. We've tried to avoid eating out a lot this trip, and have been making some good meals in Maggie. However, this time we decided to hunt up a local place and take a chance. Just outside of the Shiloh Military Park, right on the Tennessee River sits
Hagy's Catfish Hotel Restaurant. In fact, Hagy's had been occupied by the Union during the battle of Shiloh!
The sign on the Highway looked a little sketchy, and the boss has never had catfish, however she called the tune, so we both paid the piper and headed down to the river.
Imagine our surprise when we got there, and beheld a beautiful low slung building surrounded by dozens of cars! Apparently this is the place to go for catfish in southern Tennessee, as well as northern Mississippi!
The boss gamely ordered breaded fried catfish, while I ordered Cajun style. Although I haven't had catfish since being stationed at Ft. Bragg NC in the late 70s, I knew what I was in for. But the boss was under the impression that she'd be eating fried mud. Watching her eyes light up with the first bite was more satisfying than the meal! These folks know how to serve catfish!
We took off this morning headed for Arkansas, and are now sitting on the bank of Lake Dardanelle, at another wonderful Corps of Engineers campground, Piney Bay. From now on it's one night stands as we wend our way back to Utah.
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